Is YOUR community ready to attract new investment?
December 18, 2014 at 10:58am by Cindy Leis

While many communities have assets that are attractive to those who currently live, play and conduct business there, do these communities have what it takes to attract new residents and businesses? Major corporations and others may invest millions of dollars in a community and don’t take the decision lightly.

According to economic and community development consultant, Carol Johnson, most communities all say the same things. She says what site consultants and prospects fear most when they visit a potential site is the local team will talk too much and waste their time!

According to Johnson, to be prepared “The local team needs to understand that every facet of your site is quantitatively ranked and each industry, each project will rank you differently.” In other words, the local team needs to convey the unique things they have to offer each individual prospect and be able to prove it. Corporations are obsessed with “risk avoidance” which means the local team must remove any mystery or perceptions of risk.

Successful communities have created a team that includes the local experts in the areas of: utilities (e.g., gas, electric, water and waste water), industry, infrastructure, workforce, taxation and incentives. It is key that the local team can convey credibility and expertise when responding to prospect needs. It is especially critical that the local team can stand behind their commitments to meet project timelines and ensure project confidentiality.

So where might a community begin? Start first with an understanding of community assets. Second, be able to document these assets – how do the assets meet requirements of the prospect? Third, understand the key drivers of the prospect’s decision. KNOW THEM, UNDERSTAND THEM and CONFIRM THEM several times; prospects often change their minds. Last, understand that prospects make final decisions based on return on investment and their ability to minimize or overcome risk – perceived and real.

Are you SURE your team is ready? Learn more on this topic at: ohioline.osu.edu/cd-fact/pdf/1504.pdf and ohioline.osu.edu/lines/comun.html#econdev.

What’s the State of the Union Address?
POSTED IN GOVERNMENT BY LAWYERS.COMSM

Each year, in late January or early February, the President of the United States gives a speech to both houses of the US Congress: The US Senate and the US House of Representatives. The speech is called the “State of the Union” address or speech, and it’s steeped in tradition and importance.

Why Have This Speech?

The US Presidency is the highest political office in the country, and it’s often called the most powerful position in the world. So, the President could call a press conference or simply contact the TV stations at anytime and be given the chance to talk to the nation. Why, then, does there have to be a special speech every year?

Because it’s required by the US Constitution, which states that the President must “from time to time give to the Congress information of the state of the Union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.”

Basically, the President must on occasion talk to Congress about how the nation is faring – that is, are things in good or bad shape? And what work still needs to be done.

The speech usually takes place in late January or early February. The Constitution’s 20th Amendment makes Congress open for business in late January. Also under this Amendment, Presidential terms begin in late January (generally, January 20).

Traditionally, the speech is delivered on the last Tuesday of January, but there’s no legal requirement for that date. And it’s not set in stone. For instance, the speech was given on the last Monday of January in 2008, and the 2010 speech is on the last Wednesday of the month.

Lots to Talk About

Most of the time, the speeches aren’t short, often lasting more than hour. There are usually plenty of things for the President to talk about. For example, State of the Union addresses, past and future, discuss matters like:

The condition of the US economy, such as job-loss and -creation, inflation, and the national debt or “deficit”
Social programs to help US citizens, as well as citizens of other nations in need
Education and health care
Progress, failures, and strategies in US military operations around the world
During the speech, the President almost always outlines new ideas in some or all of these matters and asks for Congress’ help in passing new laws to get the programs up and running.

Because of the wide variety of topics covered, the speech is watched or listened to not only by millions of US citizens, but also by millions of people all over the world.

Although the speech is delivered in the Capitol building before the Congress, the speech is really for you and me – everyday, ordinary citizens. It’s one of the hallmarks of the US form of open, democratic government. It’s a chance for the President to tell us how he thinks things are going on the nation and any plans for making changes and improvements.

We, of course, have the option to agree or disagree with the President’s assessment. We can decide if the President’s done a good job in the past year, And though our elected Senators and Representatives, tell the President what we think about any new laws or programs proposed during the speech.

There’s usually a lot of “armchair quarterbacking” and second guessing that goes along with the speech, and pundits will dissect each word carefully days after. It’s not just about missing your favorite TV show, it’s democracy in action.

Questions For Your Attorney

Can anyone get into the Capital building for the State of the Union, or do I need an invitation?
Are television networks required by any law to carry the speech?
Are there any legal consequences if a President fails to give a State of the Union address?

Paulding County Progress Newspaper
Now in its 20th year, Christmas For Kids will hold the season’s first “live drive” in Paulding County from 11am-1pm Friday Nov. 7 at Paulding Subway. Please give generously to help others have a brighter holiday

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Earth’s average temperature has risen by 1.4°F over the past 100 years and is projected to rise another 2°F over the next century. That rise in temperature may translate to some potentially dangerous shifts in climate and weather over the next several decades, and these shifts figure to impact society in a variety of ways, none of which are likely to improve quality of life.
The impact of climate change will vary depending on geography, but no region of the planet will be immune to the potentially devastating impact of climate change unless something is done to reverse the trend. For example, the EPA notes that coastal communities in the southeastern United States are likely to see the sea level rise, and such communities will be forced to deal with increasingly intense hurricanes. In the northwestern United States, rising sea levels are likely to increase coastal erosion, while rising temperatures will threaten local forests, agriculture and wildlife.
Though many who present the issue of climate change tend to focus on its potentially devastating consequences, there is still a chance to reverse climate change. That’s because humans are largely responsible for climate change, so it stands to figure that what was done by humans can ultimately be undone as well. According to the EPA, human activities over the last century have released large amounts of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere. These greenhouse gases are a result of burning fossil fuels to produce energy. But greenhouse gases also are emitted by industrial processes, deforestation and certain agricultural practices. When these greenhouses are emitted, they trap energy in the atmosphere, causing it to warm. This warming process is necessary to sustain life on Earth. But as these greenhouse gases build up in the atmosphere, as they have done in the last 100 years, the result is a change in climate that threatens society, human health and ecosystems across the globe.
One effective way to combat climate change is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which individuals can do in a number of ways.
• Make “reduce, reuse, recycle” your family’s mantra. Many people have heard the slogan “reduce, reuse, recycle,” but few people may know just how effective it can be. Reducing, reusing and recycling helps conserve energy and reduces greenhouse gas emissions from resource extraction, manufacturing and disposal. If products are reused and recycled, then less new products need to be made, reducing the industrial emissions that contribute so heavily to climate change. The EPA notes that American recycling activity alone saves roughly 11.3 billion gallons of gas each year. Even some waste can be reused. For example, composting food and yard waste greatly reduces the amount of waste that would otherwise end up in landfills, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as a result.
• Be more efficient with water usage. Efficient water usage can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions considerably. For example, only running a dishwasher when it is full can save 100 pounds of carbon dioxide per year, greatly reducing your contribution to climate change with little or no effort on your part. The EPA notes that 3 percent of the energy used in the United States goes toward pumping and treating water, so using water efficiently can greatly reduce greenhouse gas pollution that’s contributing to climate change. Turning the faucet off while shaving and brushing your teeth are two more easy ways to conserve water and reduce emissions.
• Be more responsible behind the wheel. Vehicles are significant contributors to climate change, but drivers may not know that it’s not just the automobile that can contribute to pollution. Drivers also can contribute to greater greenhouse gas emissions if they aren’t driving efficiently and responsibly. When driving, avoid hard accelerations and quick brakes, as that type of driving wastes fuel that will need to be replaced. Driving without so many fast stops and quick starts is more fuel efficient, and over time this will greatly reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions you’re producing every time you get behind the wheel. Other ways to improve fuel efficiency and therefore reduce your vehicle’s emissions include clearing unnecessary items out of your car so the engine doesn’t have to work as hard to get from point A to point B and to keep time spent idling to a minimum.
Climate change has already begun to wreak havoc on the planet, and things only figure to worsen if men and women fail to make reversing climate changes.

Fort Wayne police have detained a man for questioning for possible connection to an Antwerp bank robbery Wednesday. Officers apprehended the man, who was inside a car that fled from officers, just before midnight Wednesday.

An incident report provided by Fort Wayne Police Department shows an officer attempted to make a traffic stop of a gray-colored 2005 Chevy Impala, matching the description of a car believed involved an armed robbery of GenFed in Antwerp. After a brief pursuit, the car crashed into a garage in an alley off Swinney Avenue.

Two males ran from the vehicle. One man was taken into custody without incident. The second escaped on foot and remains at large.

Police public information officer Michael Joyner said that the individual, whose name has not been released, “is still being interviewed to see what involvement, if any, he had to the incident in Antwerp.” No arrest has been made.

Officers checked the area around the crash and recovered a cell phone and a weapon, according to the incident report.

The vehicle was verified as having been stolen and was towed from the scene. Authorities have not established whether it was the car used in the robbery early Wednesday.

Paulding County Sheriff Jason Landers could not be reached for comment regarding any developments in the case.

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Coming Events

Meetings are open to the public
• Paulding County Commissioners in session 8am-4pm or until end of business on Mondays and Wednesdays, Room B-1, courthouse
• Paulding Village Council meetings 6:30pm on the first and third Mondays of each month, in council chambers